Secret Admirers
by FyoraHime
Summary: Two mysterious presents show up at Ash's doorstep. Does he prefer one over the other or appreciate them both? Request from tumblr: Secret Admirer. Amourshipping one-shot!
Two baskets.

Two tags.

Two mysteries.

That was probably how the others saw this situation, but Serena knew all too well about how the two gifts had arrived outside Ash's hotel room this morning.

' _Want to encourage your favorite competitor? We'll deliver a gift and a personalized message to their room!'_ The booth right outside the hotel's front entrance had caught Serena's eye immediately. The idea seemed really sweet, but she normally wouldn't have considered soliciting their services. After all, she saw Ash every day, and she had been and would continue giving him her support throughout their journey.

" _They do the delivery,_ and _the message can be anonymous? That sounds like a perfect opportunity for us, doesn't it, Serena?"_

She still couldn't figure out why Miette was in town. Would she have come all this way just for the Kalos League? Were her feelings for Ash that strong, or was this her sneaky way of giving the blonde some support? The mischievous performer's antics and motivations had always mystified Serena, but one fact remained certain: This was a challenge. The latest Master Class had come to a close, but these two rivals were always competing in one way or another.

Somehow, their latest "competition" had culminated in the scene before Serena right now. Two baskets of treats, each labeled with a tag that said, _"Good luck! Sincerely, your secret admirer."_ Those had been the rules that the girls had decided upon: A dozen treats of their choice, the same message on the tags, and anonymity to remove any traces of bias.

"Whooooa!" Bonnie gasped as Ash sat down to begin unwrapping the plastic that preserved the first basket of goodies. "Are these from a restaurant?" Ash gingerly lifted one of the pastries, and Serena bit her lip to hold back a frustrated outburst. Miette truly was a gifted baker, and her treats looked like they could have been crafted by a master patissier. Layers of puff pastry and custard filling were stacked delicately atop one another, and vanilla and chocolate swirls decorated the top of the dessert. Upon closer inspection, the pattern on top was not so abstract, but actually chocolate hearts on a vanilla background.

'She's clever,' Serena conceded, folding her arms over her chest as casually as she could. She resisted the urge to turn her nose away in a huff, trying to fight down the bitterness that was rising up in her chest.

"These TASTE like they're from a restaurant, too!" Bonnie exclaimed mid-chew. She wolfed down a mille-feuille and began to reach for another with sparkling eyes. Clemont had to leap over to wrap his arms around her and pull her back.

"You'll spoil your breakfast!" he admonished her as he licked custard off of his own lips. "Although… these are absolutely exquisite. They must be professional."

Ash gazed up at Clemont curiously. "You fink sho?" he mumbled through a mouthful of pastry. Serena couldn't help but notice that his eyes had lit up the moment that the dessert touched his tongue, and she dug her nails deeper into her arm, bracing herself for an overwhelming defeat. Right now, Miette had _everyone_ on her side.

Even though the quartet had been preparing to head to the dining area, Ash was opening the other basket now, too. The four of them crowded around to peek inside the container, but Serena already knew what they would find: a cluster of custard cream puffs each topped with powdered sugar, a caramel swirl, and a strawberry slice. Since Clemont was still restraining Bonnie, neither of them sampled the sweet right now. Ash, however, plucked a puff from the pile and popped it into his mouth. Serena steeled herself in preparation for his reaction, which was bound to be negative after tasting Miette's treats. Much to her surprise, his jaw sort of… slackened. How was she supposed to interpret that?  
She quickly got her answer as Ash shoved another cream puff into his mouth, eliciting a cry of protest from Clemont. "What?" Ash mumbled between mouthfuls. "Dey're good, too! I mean, dese puffs awen't as fanshy as dose cakes," he admitted, and Serena's heart sank. Once he swallowed, though, the raven-haired boy continued to speak. "Those belong in a restaurant, but these… They're the kind of snack I'd share with you guys and Pikachu after a long day of traveling, or a tough battle, or maybe at a park." His eyes softened and his tone became somewhat dreamy. "They make me feel warm inside. They taste like they're homemade…"

"… and homemade means made with love?" Clemont finished, assuming that's what his friend was attempting to convey. Ash nodded rapidly, and he gave the blonde boy a thumbs up. His lips began to move, but Serena couldn't distinguish any of the words or even hear any sound. The Kalosian was completely lost in her own world as her heart swelled with joy, awe, and delight. Her heart could have possibly burst right then and there from sheer happiness.

"Serena? Serena? Yoohoo, Serena?" Someone was calling for her. She mumbled an incoherent response, but then squeaked in surprise as Ash began to wave his hand back and forth before the performer's nose. "Does that sound good to you? We'll share these later; I want the four of us and all of our Pokémon to enjoy them!"

Still slightly dazed, Serena nodded mechanically. "Yes," she whispered at last. "I'd love that! I'm sure your secret admirers would appreciate it, too."

"Secret admirers, huh?" Bonnie echoed. Clemont had finally released his sister, who was now eyeing the baskets curiously. She seemed rather fixated on the note cards, with their identical messages. "Hey, this curly handwriting is really pretty. It kind of looks like yours, Serena!"

Serena had managed to keep her heart under control, but now her face had burst into a bright berry blush. "We'd better hurry and get breakfast!" she declared, and she scrambled out the door.

So much for a _secret_ admirer!


End file.
